TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ The Kansas Senate has approved a bill expanding the number of public buildings where concealed weapons are allowed and letting public school and college employees carry concealed firearms.

The 35-5 vote Wednesday sends the measure to the House.

The bill backed by gun-rights advocates comes as federal officials consider new gun-control measures following a deadly mass shooting at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school in December.

The House already has approved its own version of the same measure, allowing local school boards and state colleges to designate employees to carry concealed weapons.

Also, state and local governments couldn't prohibit holders of state concealed-carry permits from bringing their weapons into public buildings unless those places had security measures. Officials would have until 2018 to get those security measures in place.

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